Policy and Legal Affairs

Clear Creek ISD, like all Texas public school
districts, operates under a complex framework of federal and state
statutes, regulations and rules along with local board policies,
administrative regulations, guidelines and handbooks.

It is the mission of the Office of Policy and Legal Affairs to assist
you in successfully navigating the maze of legal authorities that guide
the operations of the District and interactions with employees,
students, parents and the community.

In addition to the U.S. Constitution, federal laws impacting CCISD include but are not limited to the following:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Title IX of The Education Amendments of 1972, as amended

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Title VII of The Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended

Title II of The Americans with Disabilities Act

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

The Fair Labor Standards Act

The Family Medical Leave Act

The Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

At
the state level, the Texas Education Code controls many of the day to
day operations of the District, addressing topics ranging from
governance by the Board of Trustees to bid solicitation and purchasing
to admission and enrollment to employment of teachers to student
discipline. Adding another layer to the machinations, the
Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education (SBOE), an
elected 15-member board, oversee the public education system of Texas in
accordance with the Education Code. The rules adopted by the SBOE and
the Commissioner are part of a larger body of state agency rules that
are collected and published by the Office of the Secretary of State as
the Texas Administrative Code (TAC). SBOE and commissioner's rules are
codified under Title 19, Part II, of the TAC. These rules provide
further detail and guidance for implementing the legislation found in
the Education Code. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees
enforcement.

Locally, CCISD is governed by policies developed by administration and formally approved by the Board of Trustees.
CCISD Board Policies are maintained through the Texas Association of
School Board’s (TASB) Policy Online, a searchable database that is
updated regularly as policies are amended or added. The policies are
divided by subject matter, bear descriptive titles, and are categorized
as (LEGAL) or (LOCAL.) (LEGAL) policies, drafted by TASB, often cite
constitutional or statutory authority and provide the legal “umbrella”
under which school districts may develop their own unique corresponding
(LOCAL) policy. In CCISD, committees of administrators draft proposed
policy for consideration by the policy committee, which in turn makes
recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Each new policy or amendment
generally goes through two “readings” in two successive regular meetings
before it becomes effective.

The Administrative Regulations offer yet another layer of rules under which we operate.
Some but not all of the Board Policies have corresponding
administrative regulations and exhibits; the regulations and exhibits
are organized under the same lettering system used for policies,
followed by the designation: (Regulation) or (EXHIBIT.) These
regulations provide more detail and often outline the procedures to be
followed in implementing the policies. Finally, various departments
issue employees handbooks, which offer even more specific information
and provide further guidance.